A few weeks back, we had a great post from California Food Policy Advocates (CFPA) on the Child and Adult Care Food Program’s (CACFP) updated nutrition standards. It included a lot of great background information on the program and details about the current update process:
“In 2010, through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, Congress required the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to update the CACFP meal pattern and better align it with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Under the proposed rule, meals served to children in child care will include a greater variety of vegetables and fruits, more whole grains, and less sugar and fat. This proposal is the first major update of the CACFP meal patterns since the program’s inception in 1968. The public has 90 days to comment, with all comments due by April 15, 2015.“
There’s just under a week left to submit comments, and if you’re interested in commenting, CFPA has some great resources. For example, you can download these simple, targeted, and easy to personalize comments that child care providers, parents, and professional advocates can use to provide input.
CFPA also notes that it is extremely important for USDA to hear from a variety of stakeholders about the proposed changes to CACFP. In California, the CACFP meal pattern is the basis of state regulations for foods served in all licensed child care centers. Because of this, it is important that these centers provide feedback.
You can download the sample comments today and be sure to submit them by April 15th!